Just quoted a big commission and my stomach dropped lol
omg you guys i just sent over a quote for a huge mural commission, like WAY bigger than anything i've done before, and i'm sitting here doing the math again and again and honestly my brain is fried. i did the hourly rate calculation i always use, plus material costs which were INSANE for this much paint, but then i added like a 10% 'stress tax' because the thought of executing this on-site is making me sweat. i think i priced it fairly for the scope and my time, but what if they balk? what if they think i'm totally out of my mind? i'm so used to quoting smaller pieces that this feels like a whole new universe. has anyone else ever felt this level of sheer terror after hitting 'send' on a big quote?
3
4commentsSaveFollow threadShare
That scale changes things. You did the math right, that's the first step. The 'stress tax' is smart. Better to build it in than to regret it later. Most clients who want something that big understand it's a different beast, and they're paying for more than just paint on a wall. They're paying for the execution, the logistics, and your nerve. If they balk, it's a conversation, not a catastrophe. You stand by your number. If they push, see where you can adjust without shortchanging yourself. Sometimes it's about a small detail, not the whole price.
ngl the 'stress tax' is so real. i once quoted a job and then spent a week staring at the ceiling convinced i'd forgotten to factor in, like, oxygen or something. if they can't handle the number for a giant mural they probably can't handle the giant mural lol
haha omg i love the 'oxygen' part! you totally get it, it's like your brain just goes into full panic mode and starts listing all the possible ways you could fail. my partner said something similar, like 'if they're serious about the mural, they'll be serious about the price' and i just have to cling to that lol. it's just the sheer scale of it all, you know? but yeah, i think the stress tax is staying!!
omg thank you for saying that!! seriously, my partner was like 'you calculated it right, trust yourself' but hearing it from someone else feels like… permission lol. the 'nerve' part especially, haha, that's exactly it. i was thinking the same thing, like they're not just buying paint, they're buying me showing up and not completely messing it up under pressure. i’m going to stand by the number, you’re right. it’s just the first big leap into this kind of work, feels like i’m walking a tightrope haha. hoping it’s a conversation and not a catastrophe!